Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide

Michelle Morrow 2007

Published by Downunder Literature
27 Russell Street Cardiff NSW 2285
mailto:downunderlit@downunderlit.com
Web Address: http://www.downunderlit.com

The publisher would like to thank all the contributors to this educational book who have
allowed their material to be reproduced.
I am very appreciative to Margaret Taylor who co-authored the Downunder Literature
Copy Work books. Jocelyn James, Mel Taggart and Mary Collis who also made themselves
available to review this resource and Ruth Colman for your suggestions and editing. I
would also like to my family, who have been very patient and encouraging during this
project.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or
review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without prior permission.
The authors have made every reasonable effort to identify and contact the authors or owners of copyright
materials included in this book and to attribute authorship. Where this has not occurred, authors or owners
are invited to contact the publisher.
All enquiries to Downunder Literature.

Page

LESSON

INTRODUCTION

Copybook
4

Little Tommy Tadpole by C J Dennis

14

One

Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree by M Sinclair

15

One

Bound for Botany Bay

16

One

The Wonderland of Nature by Nuri Mass

17

One

Australian Legendary Tales by K Langloh-Parker

18

One

Click go the Shears

19

One

Spotty the Bower Bird by E S Sorenson

20

One

Farmer Shultzs Ducks by Colin Thiele

21

One

Tiger in the Bush by Nan Chauncy

22

Two

10

A Book for Kids by C J Dennis

23

Two

11

Our Sunburnt Country by A Baillie

24

Two

12

James Ruse by Watkin Tench

25

Two

13

Six Little New Zealanders by Esther Glen

26

Two

14

A Bush Calendar by Amy Mack

28

Two

15

The Silver Brumby by E Mitchell

29

Two

16

Kings Narrative of the Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition

30

Two

17

The Wonderland of Nature by Nuri Mass

31

Two

18

Crowns of Fire

32

Two

19

Advance Australia Fair by Peter Dodds McCormick

33

Three

20

The Singing Wire by Eve Pownall

34

Three

21

Following the Equator by Mark Twain

35

Three

22

A Letter from Strzelecki

36

Three

23

Shearing at Castlereagh by Banjo Patterson.

37

Three

24

Naturecraft in Australia by Thistle Harris

38

Three

25

Valley of Heavenly Gold by Eve Sutton

39

Three

26

A Mothers Offering to her Children by Charlotte Barton

40

Three

27

Flynn of the Inland by Ion Idriess

42

Three

28

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner

43

Three

29

Captain Cooks Journal During the First Voyage

44

Three

30 & 31

Blighs Narrative of the Mutiny on Board H.M. Ship Bounty Part One and Two

45

Three

32

Old New Zealand: A Tale of the Good Old Times by A Pakeha Maori

47

Three

Appendix I Spelling Rules

48

Appendix II Grammar and Literary Terms check List

50

Appendix III Charlotte Mason Grammar Lessons

53

Appendix IV Text types

58

Appendix VPunctuation usage

60

Appendix VILesson Planner

62

References

63

INTRODUCTION
Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide is a complementary resource to the Downunder
Copy Work series. The goal of this book is to teach you how to apply the useful method of
dictation based on the teachings of Ruth Beechick and Charlotte Mason. It also gives
suggestions to help you extend this resource to cover other areas of language arts study. The
dictation lessons are all based on the quotes used in the Downunder Copy Work series.
Excerpts from whole or living books, dating from 1769-2007, have been used. They
include: classic fiction, poetry, songs, biographies, studies of nature and explorers journals.
Passages have been carefully selected from a broad range of good Australian and New
Zealand literature. These extracts introduce your student mind to mind with the author.
They are educational, encouraging, uplifting and will bring delight to you and your
students.
We hope that, in using this material, you will be introduced to some wonderful books
and writings of which you were previously unaware. At times the extracts have stopped in
places that will leave your student hungry for more. If they want to read the whole book,
encourage them. Most of these books you should be able to find second hand or in a library.
Some are out of print, but with a little hunting you can find them. We did!
Many of the included works highlight what was happening in the era in which they
were written. For this reason, some of the literature may well be politically incorrect by
todays standards, but at the time of writing it was not. Please use anything that is
politically incorrect as an opportunity to teach your student about the culture of the times.
During research for the Downunder Copy Work books we found many of the selected
extracts, poems and songs online. We also found great educational sites about Australian
and New Zealnd history and famous people. We decided to link the Table of Contents in
each copy work book with relevant websites where possible. We have also provided some
hard-to-comeby nature stories, such as Spotty the Bower Bird, and a selection of Amy
Macks Bushland Stories for you to download. To take advantage of this tool, go to our
website
http://www.downunderlit.com and click on literature links.

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

DICTATION
Well-chosen passages expose children to good literature and a variety of writing styles
that help them recognise and use well-structured sentences, good grammar and correct
punctuation.
The dictation method that Charlotte Mason suggests is not what most of us would
remember from school. A great emphasis is placed on preparing the dictation passage
before they are required to write it. This can be done using copy work, word study and
careful examination of the piece to be written (more on this later). The goal is to get it right
the first time.
Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick suggest starting dictation during the primary
education years. To include children younger than this just use the passages for copy work,
and the Springboards for Further Study section. Most of the ideas can be modified to suit
multiple ages without too much trouble. The ideas and checklists are based on primary age
skills and competencies.
There are 32 dictation lessons. The passages can be quite lengthy, so individualise the
dictation for each student depending on their abilities. At first, just one line may be enough.
You can work on the same dictation lesson over several days. As they improve you can
increase the amount of dictation required in one sitting. Start simply, giving all the help
needed to get the extract correct and gradually give less prompts.
Presentation of the work is important. Instruct the student on using a margin,
indentation of paragraphs and a title for the work. Encourage the student to use self editing
skills and proofread their work. If they see something wrong allow them to correct it (using
an eraser or liquid paper) prior to handing it over for marking. Storage of the dictation can
be in a notebook, folder or book. A well presented work will make them proud of their
achievements.
Mark their dictation on the spot whenever possible, getting them to erase the mistake
and write the correction over it. This is a very important phase for imprinting the correct
image in your students mind. Resist the temptation to scribble in the corrections. We want
the students to be proud of their work. I use three indicators for marking: presentation,
spelling and accuracy. I take a half point off for each mistake and give an overall mark.
5

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Three

Bound for Botany Bay

Who is this song about? Do you know it?

Where are they going? What period of
Australian history is this song about?
What is the lesson they have for you?

Author Unknown

Farewell to old England forever,

Farewell to my old pals as well.

Listen to the rhythm. Can you find the

rhyming words?
Pretend you are an editor and proofread
this song for mistakes., or samples of nonstandard English.

Farewell to the well-known Old Bailey,

Where I used to cut such a swell.

Theres the captain who is our commander.

Theres the bosun and all the ships crew,
Theres the first and the second class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts goes through.

Taint leaving old England we cares about,

Taint cos we misspelt what we knows.
But because we all light-fingered gentry
Hops round with a log on our toes.

Now, all my young Dookies and Duchesses,

Take warning from what Ive to say
Mind all is your own as you toucheses,
Or youll meet us in Botany Bay.
16

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Four

The Wonderland of Nature

Nuri Mass2007 The Estate of Nuri Mass (Downunder Literature)

Now, how does a worm loosen soil? First, he burrows

down into it and next, he eats large quantities of it. In these
large quantities are decaying leaves, flower petals and so on,
which are useful to him as food. The soil itself is not needed
as food, so it passes right through his body, but on its way
through, it is crumbled up into fine pieces. The worm then
comes up and casts it out on the surface of the groundand
this little mound of digested earth is known as castings. In
the early morning, if you look, you will probably find many of
these castings in your lawn and garden.

Fact or Fiction: Is this story true? We call true stories non-fiction.

We call make believe stories fiction.
Select 10 books from your bookshelf. Are they real stories or
make-believe? Talk about how a library sets out its books into
non-fiction and fiction.

17

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Twenty-Seven

Flynn of the Inland

Ion Idriess from Flynn of the Inland 1945 (ETT Imprint, Sydney 2000)

John Flynn, Australian born, was a dreamer of dreams.

One dream has awakened joy in the heart of a continent ...It
was a giant project, Flynns dream, nothing less than to
establish help, communication, and transport throughout
two-thirds of the continenttwo million square miles peopled
by an isolated few having no political voice. An empire would
hardly have tackled such a job. His dream hinged on the
cradle. First ensure that every Inland woman could have her
baby and her own life with it. Then educate those children,
annihilate loneliness, and bring a feeling of security to the
fathers, and see that all had that spiritual companionship
which smooths the path of life.
But he was merely a Camel-man with an empty pocket,
this empire dreamer, riding alone in the brooding Centralian
silence. How could he evoke the sympathy and active interest
of the population hugging the rich coast-lands, without which
his dream would remain only a dream?

42

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Twenty-Eight

Seven Little Australians

Ethel Turner 1894

In England, and America, and Africa, and Asia, the little

folks may be paragons of virtue, I know little about them.
But in Australia a model child is I say it not without
thankfulness an unknown quantity.
It may be that the miasmas of naughtiness develop best in
the sunny brilliancy of our atmosphere. It may be that the
land and the people are young-hearted together, and the
children's spirits not crushed and saddened by the shadow of
long years' sorrowful history.
There is a lurking sparkle of joyousness and rebellion and
mischief in nature here, and therefore in children.
Often the light grows dull and the bright colouring fades to
neutral tints in the dust and heat of the day. But when it
survives play-days and school-days, circumstances alone
determine whether the electric sparkle shall go to play
will-o'-the-wisp with the larrikin type, or warm the breasts of
the spirited, single-hearted, loyal ones who alone can advance
Australia.

43

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Twenty-Nine

Captain Cooks Journal (1769)

James Cook (1728-1779) Captain Cooks Journal During The first Voyage 1893

Tuesday 15th August 1769: The farthest Island to the

Southward that Tupia hath been at, or knows anything of, lies
but 2 days Sail from Ohetiroa, and is called Moutou, but he
says that his father once told him that there were Islands to
the Southward of it; but we cannot find that he either knows
or ever heard of a Continent or large Track of Land. I have no
reason to doubt Tupias information of these Islands.
Saturday 7th October: Gentle breezes and settled weather. At
2p.m. saw land*. From the Masthead bearing West by North,
which we stood directly for, and could but just see it off the
deck at sunset.
Monday 9th October: Gentle breezes and clear water. P.M.
stood into the Bay and anchored on the North-East side
before the entrance of a small river.
Tupia spoke to them in his own language, and it was an
agreeable surprise to us to find they perfectly understood him.
After some little conversation had passed one of them swam
over to us, and after him 20 or 30 more; these last brought
their Arms, which the first man did not. We made them every
one presents, but this did not satisfy them; they wanted
everything we had about us, particularly our Arms, and made
several attempts to snatch them out of our hands.
*The North Island of New Zealand).

44

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson Thirty

Mutiny on the Bounty (Part One)

Blighs Narrative of the Mutiny On Board HM Ship Bounty (1788)

In October 1788 Captain William Bligh set sail on his

return journey to England. Some of his crew had other plans.
Just before sun-rising, while I was yet asleep, Mr Christian
with the master-at-arms, gunner's mate, and Thomas Burkitt,
seaman, came into my cabin and seizing me, tied my hands
with a cord behind my back and threatened me with instant
death, if I spoke or made the least noise. I however called as
loud as I could to alarm everyone. They had already secured
the officers who were not of their party, by placing sentinels at
their doors. There were three men at my cabin door besides
the four within; Christian had only a cutlass in his hand, the
others had muskets and bayonets. I was hauled out of bed
and forced on deck in my shirt, suffering great pain from the
tightness which with they had tied my hands. I demanded the
reason of such violence but received no other answer than
abuse for not holding my tongue.
Without further ceremony, with a tribe of armed
ruffians about me, I was forced over the side where they
untied my hands. Being in the boat we were veered astern by
a rope. A few pieces of pork were then thrown to us, and some
clothes, also [some cutlasses]...

45

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Lesson ThirtyTwo

Old New Zealand.

A Tale of the Good Old Times
F E Maning 1863

Many years ago, Hongi Ika, the great warrior of New

Zealand, was dying. His relations and friends and tribe were
collected around him, and he spoke to them these words:
Children and friends, pay attention to my last words. After I
am gone, be kind to the missionaries. Be kind also to other
Europeans. Welcome them to the shore, trade with them,
protect them and live with them as one people. But if ever
there should land on this shore a people who wear red
garments, who do not work, who neither buy or sell, and who
always have arms in their hands, then be aware that these
people are called soldiers, a dangerous people, whose only
occupation is war. When you see them, make war against
them. Then, O my children, be brave! Then, O friends, be
strong! Be brave that you may not be enslaved, and that your
country may not

become the possession of strangers. And

having said these words he died.

47

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

APPENDIX II
GRAMMAR & LITERARY TERMS CHECKLIST
The Parts of Speech
Nouns

What is a noun?

Define the different types of nouns

Common
Proper
Collective
Abstract

What is a plural or singular noun?

What do we mean by gender of nouns?

Pronouns

What is a pronoun?

What is a personal pronoun?

What is a relative pronoun?
What is an interrogative pronoun?
What is a demonstrative pronoun?

Verbs

What is a verb?

What must every sentence have?

What is a finite verb?

Verbs and their subjects.

Verbs and their objects.

What are direct/indirect objects?

Tense and verbs.

Can you change the tense of a piece

of writing?

What are regular verbs?

Name some regular verbs? Are there

any in your copywork piece?

What are irregular verbs?

Name some irregular verbs? Are

there any in your copywork piece?

Auxiliary verbs (helping verbs).

Underline all the verbs including the

helping verbs like 'was' and 'had'.

50

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Imperatives

What are imperatives?

Adjectives

What is an adjective?

What is a comparative adjective?

Find all the adjectives in a piece of copywork?

What is a superlative adjective?

Remove all the adjectives from a piece of

copy work. How does it sound?

Articles

What is an Article?

Adverbs

What is an adverb?
How is an adverb different to an adjective?

Adverbs can tell us manner, time and

place?

What does that mean?

Prepositions

What is a preposition?

Conjunctions

What is a conjunction?

Sentences

What is a sentence?

What must every sentence have?

What are the parts of a sentence?

What is a subject/predicate?

There are types of sentences

Identify the 4 different types of sentences.

Clause

What is a clause?

What is a noun clause?

What is an adjective clause?
What is an adverb clause?

Phrase

51

What is a phrase?

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007

Literary Terms
Genre

What are the different types of genres?

Identify the genre of your dictation extract.

Text Types

Identify text types in your dictation passage.

Antonyms
Similes

Look at Lesson 8 and 18

Metaphors

Look at Lesson 8 and 18

Clichs
Homonyms
Homophones

Examples Lesson 1

Slang

Lesson 6 Shearers slang

Jargon

What is the difference between slang and jargon?

Compare and Contrast.

Lesson 6 and 23.

52

Downunder Dictation and Teachers Guide by M Morrow 2007